Fire inspection work to be outsourced

NAGPUR: In a significant development, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has decided to outsource the work of ensuring fire safety in high rise buildings and establishments to private parties. The department has begun process to appoint licensing agents who would be entrusted with the work of ensuring that fire-fighting equipment in every building was in working condition, said chief fire officer of fire and emergency services of NMC Chandrashekhar Jadhav.

Jadhav told TOI that the state government had issued a government resolution under the Maharashtra Fire Preventing and Life Safety Measures Act 2006 allowing private parties to be appointed for undertaking and executing the work of installation and maintenance of fire prevention and life safety equipment in any building within NMC or NIT limits or area.

He said that the agents would be authorised to inspect high rise buildings to ensure that the fire fighting equipment has been installed properly and are in working conditions. They would have the power to certify that the buildings are safe. They will also have the authority to recommend disconnection of power and water supply if the building is found violating fire safety norms. They would have to inspect buildings every six months to ensure the equipment remains in working condition. The CFO said that the move would ease pressure on fire department already facing hardships due to manpower crunch.

Jadhav said that the issue of fire safety had gained prominence after the country saw spectacular manner in which terrorists set Taj Hotel in Mumbai on fire. The Mumbai fire service had a tough time dousing the flames. Absence of adequate fire safety equipment in tall buildings has been a perpetual issue. Most buildings are in blatant violation of the Development Control Rules (DCR) and National Building Code of India (NBC) requirements, said the CFO. He claimed that this was either due to lack of knowledge among builders and architects or desire to save on fire fighting equipment which was very expensive.

About eligibility of the agents, he said that those with a degree or advance diploma in fire engineering awarded by the National Fire Service College would be given preference. Holders of degree or diploma in mechanical or electrical or electronics or chemical or civil engineering or computer applications from a recognised university would also be considered if they had the experience in installing and maintaining fire prevention and fire protection system, as laid down in the NBC 2005 or the code published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA, USA) 2008.

"If everything goes right, the agents would start functioning from the next financial year," said the CFO.
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